Conventionally, there have been proposed game apparatuses which can be operated using an input device other than a controller having a cross-key pad and buttons. For example, there is a conventional game system for playing a game using a sword-like controller to attack enemy characters in the game. In this game system, a position of the sword-like controller and an amount of variation in the position per unit of time are detected by a sensor, and a degree of damage caused to an enemy character by attack is determined in accordance with the speed or amplitude of swing of the sword-like controller. In such a conventional game system, the player is able to feel as if he/she is attacking the enemy characters in the game using a real sword.
In the above conventional game system, the degree of damage caused to an enemy character is determined in accordance with the speed or amplitude of swing of the sword-like controller, and the means of attacking the enemy characters is limited to a sword, lacking variation in attack. Such simple means of attacking makes the game itself monotonous, easily boring the player.
Specifically, one input operation uniquely makes one type of attack action, and therefore the game easily bores the player. It is important in particular for new games to enable a variety of types of attacks including, for example, not only a direct attack by a sword but also an attack by magic, and also to enable a damage degree and an area affected by an attack to be designated, thereby keeping the player from becoming bored with the game.
Therefore, an aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a game system which enables various game operations to provide a player with an opportunity to play a game in various manners.
The exemplary illustrative embodiments herein have the following features to attain the aspect mentioned above. It should be noted that reference numerals and supplemental remarks in parentheses merely indicate correspondence with a preferred embodiment which will be described further below for the purpose of better understanding of the exemplary illustrative embodiments, and do not restrict the scope of the present invention.
A first aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is directed to a computer-readable storage medium having a game program stored therein, the game program causing a computer of a game apparatus (1), which includes a display screen (a first LCD 11) for displaying a game image and a touch panel (13) provided on the display screen, to implement a method comprising: a game image display control step (a CPU core 21 implementing steps S41; hereinafter, only step numbers are shown); a coordinate detection step (S53); a shape identification step (S64); a size calculation step (S66); a basic condition determination step (S65); an effectiveness determination step (S67); and a characteristic parameter change step (S77). The game image display control step allows a game image comprising one or more game characters (enemy characters 31 and 32) to be displayed on the display screen. The coordinate detection step detects a coordinate value at predetermined time intervals, the coordinate value indicating a position on the touch panel where a player's input is provided. The shape identification step identifies a graphical shape of an input trajectory represented by a coordinate value group (an input coordinate list 22a) detected by the coordinate detection step. The size calculation step calculates a size of the graphical shape of the input trajectory represented by the coordinate value group detected by the coordinate detection step. The basic condition determination step determines a basic condition (an attack style) for changing a characteristic parameter (HP or MP of an enemy character), which indicates a characteristic of a game character, based on the graphical shape identified by the shape identification step. The effectiveness determination step determines an effectiveness of the basic condition for the game character based on the size calculated by the size calculating step. The characteristic parameter change step changes the characteristic parameter of the game character based on the basic condition determined by the condition determination step and the effectiveness determined by the effectiveness determination step.
Further, the method may further comprise a character selection step (S71). The character selection step selects at least one game character having a character parameter to be changed, from among the one or more game characters comprising the game image. In this case, the characteristic parameter change step changes only the characteristic parameter of the at least one game character selected by the character selection step.
A second aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment is directed to a computer-readable storage medium having a game program stored therein, the game program causing a computer of a game apparatus (1), which includes a display screen for displaying a game image and a touch panel (13) provided on the display screen (a first LCD 11), to implement a method comprising: a game image display control step (S41); a coordinate detection step (S53); a shape identification step (S64); a character selection step (S71); a basic condition determination step (S65); and a characteristic parameter change step (S77). The game image display control step allows a game image comprising game characters (enemy characters 31 and 32) to be displayed on the display screen. The coordinate detection step detects a coordinate value at predetermined time intervals, the coordinate value indicating a position on the touch panel where a player's input is provided. The shape identification step identifies a graphical shape of an input trajectory represented by a coordinate value group (an input coordinate list 22a) detected by the coordinate detection step. The character selection step selects at least one game character having a characteristic parameter (HP or MP of an enemy character), which indicates a characteristic of the game character and is required to be changed, from among the game characters comprising the game image based on an area on the display screen which is defined by the input trajectory. The basic condition determination step determines a basic condition (e.g. an attach style) for changing the characteristic parameter, which indicates the characteristic of the game character, based on the graphical shape identified by the shape identification step. The characteristic parameter change step changes the characteristic parameter of the at least one game character selected by the character selection step, based on the basic condition determined by the condition determination step.
Further, the method may further comprise a size calculation step (S66) and an effectiveness determination step (S67). The size calculation step calculates a size of the graphical shape of the input trajectory represented by the coordinate value group detected by the coordinate detection step. The effectiveness determination step determines an effectiveness of the basic condition for the at least one game character based on the size calculated by the size calculating step. In this case, the characteristic parameter change step changes the characteristic parameter of the at least one game character based on the effectiveness of the basic condition determined by the effectiveness determination step.
Furthermore, the characteristic parameter change step may change a degree of change in the characteristic parameter in accordance with a number of the at least one game character selected by the character selection step.
Further still, the method may further comprise a change representation addition step (S76). The change representation addition step changes the game image in a different manner in accordance with a type of the basic condition determined by the graphical shape of the input trajectory after the graphical shape of the input trajectory is identified by the shape identification step.
Further still, the method may further comprise a trajectory display control step (S56). The trajectory display control step displays the input trajectory in a position on the display screen which corresponds to the coordinate value detected by the coordinate detection step.
Further still, a plurality of pieces of reference graphics data indicating types of the basic condition and predetermined shapes may be stored in the game apparatus. In this case, the shape identification step selects a piece of reference graphics data, which indicates a shape most analogous to a shape represented by the coordinate value group, from among the plurality of pieces of reference graphics data stored in the game apparatus, and then the shape identification step determines the shape represented by the selected piece of reference graphics data as the graphical shape of the input trajectory.
Further still, the method may further comprise a vector data group calculation step and a correction step. The vector data group calculation step calculates a vector data group (a vector data list 22b) indicating a distance and a direction between sequential coordinate values based on the coordinate value group detected by the coordinate detection step. The correction step corrects a plurality of sequential pieces of vector data indicating a same direction and included in the vector data group, so as to be represented as a piece of vector data. In this case, the shape identification step selects a piece of reference graphics data indicating a shape most analogous to a shape of the vector data group (input trajectory data 22c) corrected by the correction step.
Note that an exemplary embodiment also provides a game apparatus comprising: a storage medium (a WRAM 22 or a cartridge (17) having the above game program stored therein; and a program implementing section (a CPU core 21) for implementing the game program stored in the storage medium.
In the first aspect, two elements, which comprise a basic condition for changing (increasing/decreasing) a characteristic parameter of a game character and an effectiveness of the basic condition, are determined based on a graphical shape and a size of an input trajectory provided in one input operation by the user. Accordingly, it is possible to make more diverse changes to the characteristic parameter by a simpler input operation. Moreover, the graphical shape is directly inputted via a touch panel on which the game character is displayed, and therefore it is possible for the user to more intuitively perform an input operation with higher accuracy. Note that the basic condition as described herein corresponds to, for example, the type of magic for attacking an enemy character, the type of attack other than the magic, an attack style including a combination of magic and an attack other than the magic, or the type of magic for recovering the player character's power. Thus, for example, in a battle game of attacking enemy characters, it is possible to realize more diverse attack styles based on the first aspect. That is, in the first aspect, various game operations are realized, whereby it is possible to provide a player with an opportunity to play a game in various manners. Moreover, it is possible to provide a game which allows the user to experience a feeling of operation which is intuitive and not monotonous compared to, particularly, a game system for use with a game with command input-type battle scenes.
In the case where the method further includes the character selection step, not all game characters displayed on the display screen are considered to have a character parameter to be changed, and a game character/game characters having a character parameter to be changed is/are determined by an area defined by an input trajectory on the display screen. That is, the game character/game characters having a character parameter to be changed is/are changed in accordance with an input position on the touch panel, and therefore more diverse game processes are provided in accordance with input operations, thereby making the game more enjoyable.
In the second aspect, two elements, which comprise a game character having a characteristic parameter to be changed and a basic condition for changing (increasing/decreasing) the characteristic parameter, are determined based on a graphical shape and a position of an input trajectory provided in one input operation by the user. Accordingly, it is possible to make more diverse changes to the characteristic parameter by a simpler input operation. Thus, in the second aspect, as in the first embodiment, for example, in a battle game of attacking enemy characters, it is possible to realize more diverse attack styles in accordance with diverse input operations via the touch panel. That is, in the second aspect, various game operations are realized, whereby it is possible to provide a player with an opportunity to play a game in various manners so as not to bore the user.
In the case where a degree of change in the characteristic parameter is changed in accordance with the number of game characters selected by the character selection step, the degree of the characteristic parameter is changed in accordance with not only the shape of the input trajectory, etc., but also the position of the game character on the display. Accordingly, the game unfolds differently each time the player performs the same input operation. Thus, it is possible to provide a player with an opportunity to play the game in various manners. Moreover, the player is required to pay attention to the position of the game character on the display screen, while performing the input operation, making the game more complex and difficult to play. Thus, it is possible to provide a game which is not monotonous and/or boring to the player.
Further, in the case where the method further includes the change representation addition step, it is possible to provide the player with a visual effect which varies in accordance with the basic condition, thereby making the game more enjoyable. That is, it is possible to present to the player a change of a game image in accordance with the graphical shape of the input trajectory. Moreover, the player is able to visually and intuitively know how the player him/herself is performing an input operation. Accordingly, the player is able to readily know whether the input operation is performed in a desired manner.
Furthermore, in the case where the method further includes the trajectory display control step, a result of the player's input operation is displayed on the display screen. Accordingly, the player is able to readily know how the player him/herself is performing an input operation. Thus, the player is able to readily know whether the input operation is performed in a desired manner.
Further still, in the case where a plurality of pieces of reference graphics data are stored in the game apparatus, it is possible to readily identify a graphical shape of the input trajectory.
Further still, in the case where the method further includes the vector data group calculation step and the correction step, the shape of a trajectory drawn on the touch panel by the player is simplified by the correction step. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a process for comparing the vector data group to the reference graphics data, thereby increasing the processing speed, while reducing a processing load on the computer.